Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers has slammed the critics and opponents who are envious about the ability of club-captain Scott Brown. The Scotland international was the victim of a reckless red-card challenge from Ross County’s Andrew Davies last weekend, and this sparked a heated debate, considering Aberdeen’s Sam Cosgrove had been sent off for a similar incident involving the Parkhead midfielder.

However, in a recent news conference, Rodgers suggested that the Scottish football should learn more from Brown rather than making him a target. He said: “What I've found in my time here is that there is a lot of envy towards Scott from all sectors. I see it in certain sectors of media, I see it in players and in managers talking about him if they are a pundit or in the press.There's a definite envy of his ability and his influence.I think he's a player who should be emulated.”

Meanwhile, Brown’s performances have been termed as ‘mediocre’ in the media of late, but Rodgers has stressed that the 32-year-old should be regarded as a top-class player, he added: “I read a report about him being mediocre - come on! Mediocre for me is average, ordinary. Forget the descriptions and the envy - this boy is a top-class player.”

Brown’s performances have also been scrutinised for his tendency to be yellow-card often, but this has not hampered his position with the Hoops, with whom he has spent over a decade. The Scottish midfielder has been the club’s skipper since 2010, and his commitment towards the club has made him a favourite with the Parkhead faithful.

The Hoops captain has been deemed fit for the league outing against Dundee on Wednesday night, and a victory would see them within two games of lifting the Premiership title, so long as their nearest rivals Aberdeen attain maximum points during the same period.